The Issue of Masculinity in Short Stories Literature review

The Issue of Masculinity in Short Stories - Literature review Example As the paper outlines,  the issue of masculinity is a major subject in the three short stories. John Berger’s story ways of seeing tries to explain how women and men are viewed and perceived differently by society. During Berger’s time, the way women and men were represented culturally had extensive influence on their mutual perception, self, and conduct. In my view, the way Berger portrays the men and women is a true reflection of how they are viewed in the contemporary society where there is widespread gender discrimination, oppression of women by dominant men and objectification of women. As Berger aptly puts it, "men act – women appear"(72), men are judged by what they do or their action while women are always judged by their appearance. However, in contrast to the common notion that women are mere objects, they can be a source of inspiration as portrayed in â€Å"The Life You Save May Be Your Own† by Flannery O’Connor’s. Lucynell Crate r Offers Tom Shiftlet a chance to attain Grace. He had no friends, had been wandering but in the long run, Lucynell assists him to get a chance to work hard, get a household, live a quiet life and have an opportunity of watching the beautiful sunset. Although O’Connor’s story shows that women can influence men’s life, it is evident that sometimes men do not appreciate the assistance offered as proven by Shiftlet’s opinion on his marriage as he states, "that was just something a woman in an office did, nothing but paperwork and blood tests†(28). Although he had negative views of the marriage presided by a woman, it can be concluded that he was ultimately married legally to Lucynell’s daughter. My analysis of Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta by Kate Braverman show that society views women as people who can be influenced easily by men to engage in immorality. Braverman states, â€Å"The thrill of motorcycle rides and diamonds offered by Lenny h ad a great influence on her substance abuse†.

Government Control and Subsidy of Energy vs. Private Sector Investment Essay Example for Free

Government Control and Subsidy of Energy vs. Private Sector Investment Essay A subsidy is a payment from the government to a business to encourage the continual use or development of a technology or product that is considered to be useful or beneficial to the society. Most often, the money (or subsidies) is coming directly from taxpayers. This is where Milton Friedman’s signature phrase, â€Å"there’s no such thing as a free lunch† comes in to play. A unit of a product or service may be free for one person, someone or something is enduring an opportunity cost. Currently, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power are being subsidized by roughly $24 billion a year because of the perceived environmental benefits that go along with â€Å"green† technologies. However, renewable energy companies such as Solyndra have gone bankrupt and the government has supported them to keep them running via subsidies. The argument for continuing these subsidies is that wind and solar are still in the start-up phase in the industrial world and have not yet reached large scale markets. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that these companies will ever be largely profitable because renewable energy, with a few exclusions, are unable to reach the profitable market margin that generating plants fueled by coal, natural gas or nuclear can. While the government tries to focus their support on said renewable energies, only providing limited tax breaks for the private oil companies, the US private sector has produced a substantial increase in oil. 2011 was the third consecutive year of higher domestic oil production and, at the same time, natural gas output reached an all-time high. Over the past five years, about two thousand new jobs have been created in the oil and gas industry while employment growth for renewable energies has been limited at best. With many of the recent failures of several renewable energy companies, employment has declined in this area during several periods. The renewable industry will also struggle to prosper because they rely too heavily on the government for support. The government has taken billions of dollars and will place it in this industry with little to no return for the enrichment of the economy and society. Friedman makes a rather sarcastic comment on activities like this by saying, â €Å"If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand†. This is an example of rent-seeking. Rent-seeking is a term, used by economists, to describe actions that involve a political process of taking wealth of others and getting essentially a loss of wealth. Without the incentive to compete to raise and gain money, the renewable energy industry doesn’t feel the need to produce more efficient and cost effective products or services. On the flip side of that, since most companies in the oil industry are in the private sector, the profit alone is a large enough incentive to supply valued goods and services at reasonable prices. If private sector companies do not continually improve or develop, they will quickly be â€Å"weeded out†. Since the private markets are decidedly competitive, they are continually searching for the sweet spot in the market that assures a large and readily available supply of energy and the cleanest yet practicable balance of the usage of our limited resources, all at the lowest price possible. Despite the fact that for more than a decade, there has been a large amount direct taxpayer support, renewable energy still cannot meet the market demand and, therefore, the subsidies for these areas should be significantly reduced if not completely done away with. If politicians are truly concerned with cutting greenhouse gas emissions, a better allocation of federal spending would be to target subsidies and incentives towards natural gas and nuclear power plants. These clean-burning fuels can heat our homes, power our vehicles, and generate electricity for America’s households and industries a lot more cheaply and reliably than renewable energy can. If America is not careful, it will quickly fall into crony capitalism. Crony capitalism, in layman terms, is where private businesses focus on doing political favors rather than the consumer market because the government uses spending, regulations, and subsidies to benefit businesses that provide political support. Instead of trying to pick winners and losers, the government should create a competitive marketplace with fair rules, no subsidies, and allow the private sector to prosper. One great aspect of America is the freedom to continuously change business strategies and marketing to adapt to change. Like Milton Friedman said, â€Å"Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.†

Gambling in the United States Essay examples -- Gaming Casinos

Gambling in the United States   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gambling has increased in the last couple of years. Is it because people are addicted? There are two types of gambling: Compulsive Gambling and pathological gambling. Compulsive Gambling is when people have a hard time resisting to gamble. Pathological Gambling is when there is a need to gamble for money or for large amounts of money. Also people don’t know when to quit when they are pathological gamblers. Both types of gambling have major side effects, and can both lead to serious gambling problems.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Studies show that 82% of people gamble. In 1975 only 61% gambled (Richard E. Vatz).† Gambling has increased rapidly in the United States. Many Americans who gamble often lose more than they win. It is a bad habit that many people develop. As people are young the gamble for fun, as It carries on some may become addicted, and can become a â€Å"Pathological or Compulsive† Gambler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"One third of Problem gamblers who receive treatment for compulsive gambling also received treatment for either chemical dependency or mental health problems (Lee S. Weinberg).† This is why people don’t know when to quit because some may have mental problems. If someone has a gambling problem, it is a serious behavior disorder that can cause psychological, financial, emotional, marital, and legal difficulties. Gambling effects peoples lives and families, not just the person who is gambling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many signs when people have gambling p...

The Return: Midnight Chapter 42

â€Å"It's not a problem,†the fair ruler, Ryannen, said unexpectedly. â€Å"We can make it so that your Mr. Tanner repel ed an apparent vampire attack and the school cal ed in Alaric Saltzman to take his place and investigate. All right, Idola?† – to the redhead, and to the dark one – â€Å"All right, Susurre?† Elena wasn't All right. Despite the example she'd just had of turn-on-a-dime plotting and scheming, she was scarcely listening. Al she knew was that her voice had gone husky and that tears blurred her eyes. â€Å"And†¦for the Master Key – I want – â€Å" Stefan squeezed her hand. Elena suddenly realized that they were al standing, al three of them, beside her. And the look on every face was the same. Dead resolve. â€Å"I want Damon back.†Elena hadn't heard quite this note in her voice since the day she'd been told both her parents had died. If there had been a table, she would have put her clenched fists on it and did her best to loom over the women. As it was, she simply leaned toward them, speaking in a low and grating voice. â€Å"If you do that – bring him back, exactly as he was before he walked into the Gatehouse – then you get the Master Key and the treasures. You say no – and you lose everything. Everything. This is non-negotiable, get it?† She kept staring into Idola's green eyes. She refused to see dark Susurre drop her forehead onto three fingertips and begin to rub it in smal circles. She wouldn't give a glance to blond Ryannen, who was looking at her steadily, having gone into people-management mode. She stared directly into those green eyes under their wil ful eyebrows. Idola gave a little huff and shook her gorgeous head. â€Å"Look, someone clearly has screwed up in preparing you for this interview.†A glance at Susurre. â€Å"The other things you've asked for – al together, it forms a very heavy ransom. Do you understand that? Do you understand that it involves changing the memories of al the people for miles around your town, and changing them for every day of ten months? That it means changing everything in print about Fel ‘s Church – and that there is a lot in print – not to mention other media outlets? It means begging for three human spirits and weaving flesh around them again. I'm not sure we even have the personnel for this – â€Å" Blond Ryannen put a hand on the redhead's arm. â€Å"We have it. Susurre's women have little to do in the Nether World. I can lend you perhaps thirty percent of mine – after al , we're going to have to send up a petition to a higher Court for those spirits – â€Å" Idola the redhead interrupted. â€Å"All right. What I was saying is that we might just be able to manage – if you throw in the Key. However, your vampire companion – we can't give life back to the lifeless. We can't work with vampires. Once they're gone – they're gone.† â€Å"That's what you tell us!†Stefan cried, trying to get in front of Elena. â€Å"But why are we so particularly damned, of al creatures? How do you know it's impossible? Have you ever even tried? â€Å" Red-haired Idola was making a disgusted gesture, when Bonnie interrupted, her voice shaking. â€Å"It's ridiculous! You can rebuild a town, you can kil the person who's real y behind al Shinichi and Misao did, but you can't bring one little vampire back? You brought Elena back!† â€Å"Elena's death as a vampire al owed her to become the Guardian she was original y meant to be. As for the person who gave orders to Shinichi and Misao: It was Inari Saitou – Obaasan Saitou, as you knew her – and she is already dead, thanks to your friends in Fel ‘s Church, who weakened her – and to you, who destroyed her star bal .† â€Å"Inari? You mean Isobel's grandma? You're saying it was her star bal in the Great Tree's trunk? That's impossible!†Bonnie cried. â€Å"No, it's not. It's the truth,†blond Ryannen said simply. â€Å"And she's dead now?† â€Å"After a long battle which nearly kil ed your friends. Yes – but what actual y killed her was having her star bal destroyed.† â€Å"So,†dark Susurre said quietly, â€Å"if you fol ow the curve†¦in a way your Damon did die to save Fel ‘s Church from another massacre like the one on that Japanese island. He kept saying that was what he'd come to the Nether World to do. Do you not think he would be†¦satisfied? At peace?† â€Å"At peace?†Stefan spat bitterly, and Sage growled. â€Å"Woman,†he said, â€Å"you obviously have never met Damon Salvatore before.†The tone in his voice – more resonant, more threatening somehow – made Elena final y break off her staredown with the red-haired Idola. She turned and looked – – and saw the enormous room fil ed with Sage's out-spread wings. They weren't like any of her ephemeral Wings Powers. They were clearly part of Sage. They were velvety and reptilian, and, unfurled like this, they stretched from distant wal to wal , and touched the grand, golden ceiling. They also demonstrated why Sage didn't usual y wear shirts. He was beautiful this way, bronze skin and hair against those giant, leathery soft-looking arches. But Elena, after one look at him, knew that the time had come to play the ace up her sleeve. She turned around to meet Idola's green gaze squarely. â€Å"Al this time we've been bargaining for a Gatehouse ful of treasures,†she said, â€Å"and – one Master Key.† â€Å"A Master Key, stolen by the kitsune ages upon ages ago,†Susurre explained quietly, lifting her dark eyes. â€Å"And you've said that it's not enough for you to bring Damon back.†Elena forced her voice not to waver. â€Å"Not even if it were your only request.†Ryannen tossed a golden lock of hair over her shoulder. â€Å"So you say. But†¦what if I throw into the pot†¦another Master Key?† There was a pause, and Elena's heart began to pound in sick terror. Because it was the wrong kind of pause. There were no shocked gasps. No astonished glances from one Guardian ruler to another. No looks of disbelief. After another moment Idola said smugly, â€Å"If you mean the other stolen key that your friends had on Earth – it was confiscated as soon as they hid it. It was stolen property. It belonged to us.† She's been here too long, in the Dark Dimensions, Elena thought with one part of her mind. She's enjoying herself. Idola leaned toward her, as if to confirm Elena's guess. â€Å"It – simply – is not – possible,†she said emphatical y. â€Å"Real y, it isn't,†the fair Ryannen added briskly. â€Å"We don't know what happens to vampires. But they don't pass through our purview. We never see them after death. The simplest explanation is that they just – go out.†She snapped her fingers. â€Å"I don't believe that!† Elena was aware that her voice had risen in volume. â€Å"I don't believe that for one moment!† Voices, not attached to anyone in particular, burst into a clamor of argument around Elena, forming a sort of poem: Not possible. It's simply not possible! ( But please†¦) No! Damon is gone, and to ask where is like asking where a candle flame goes when it's blown out. ( But shouldn't you try to bring him back, at the least? ) Whatever has happened to gratitude? You four should be grateful that the other things you asked for can be done. ( But in exchange for both Master Keys – ) No Power we can command could bring Damon back! Elena must try to reconcile herself to reality. She has been pampered too much already! ( But what harm can it do to try again? ) All right! If you must know, Susurre has already forced us to try. And nothing came of it! Damon†¦is†¦gone! His spirit was nowhere to be found in the ether! That is what happens to vampires, and everyone knows it! Elena found herself looking down at her own hands, which were very clean but with broken nails and every knuckle bleeding. The outside world had become unreal again. She was inside herself, struggling with her grief, struggling with the knowledge that Idola, the central ruler of Guardians, hadn't even mentioned before that they had looked for Damon's spirit. And that it was†¦gone. Suddenly, the room was pressing in on her. There wasn't enough air. There were only these women: these powerful, magical Guardian women; who Stilldid not have enough power or magic to save Damon – or at least didn't even care enough to try twice. She wasn't sure what was happening to her. Her throat felt puffed out, her chest was both huge and tight. Each heartbeat sounded through her as if trying to shake her to death. To death. In her mind's eye, she saw a hand hold up a glass of Clarion Loess Black Magic. And then, Elena knew that she had to stand a certain way, and hold her arms a certain way, and whisper certain words in her own mind. But the last, the naming of the spel , had only to be said aloud at the end. At the end – when things slowed. When green-eyed Idola – what a perfect name for someone who idolized herself, Elena thought – and fair businesslike Ryannen and nurturing Susurre – al stared at her with open mouths, too shocked to move even a finger as, quietly and calmly, Elena said, â€Å"Wings of Destruction – â€Å" It was a soldier, just an ordinary one of the rank and file, one of the dark women, who stopped it. She leaped up onto the dais, and, with inhuman speed, slapped her hand over Elena's mouth, so that the final syl able was a mumble, and the golden, green, and blue hal did not explode into fragments with hot metal running in rivulets like lava, and the flower-fountain did not vaporize, and the stained-glass windows didn't shatter into atoms. Then there were more arms around Elena, holding her down, scarcely letting her breathe, even when she went limp for lack of air. Elena fought like an animal, with her teeth and nails, to escape. But she eventual y was completely restrained, pinned to the floor. She could hear Sage's deep voice raging and Stefan, in between desperate telepathic bursts to her, pleading and explaining, â€Å"She's Stillnot in reality! She doesn't even know what she's doing!† But louder, she could hear the voices of the Guardians. â€Å"She would have kil ed us al !†Ã¢â‚¬ Those Wings – I've never seen anything so deadly!†Ã¢â‚¬ A human! And with just three words, she could have wiped us out!†Ã¢â‚¬ If Lenea hadn't tackled her – â€Å"†Or if she had been another few feet away – â€Å"†She destroyed a moon, you know! No life on it at allnow, and ashes Stillfal ing from the sky!†Ã¢â‚¬ That isn't the point. The point is that she shouldn't have Wings powers at all. She's got to be clipped of them.†Ã¢â‚¬ That's right – clip her Wings! Do it! â€Å" Elena recognized Ryannen's and Idola's voices at the end there. She was Stilltrying to fight, but they held her so tightly and piled on her so ruthlessly that it had become a fight simply to get air and al she did was exhaust herself. And then they clipped her Wings. It was quick, at least, and Elena felt very little. What hurt most was her heart. Some proud, stubborn streak had been brought out with the fighting, and now she was ashamed to feel each pair cut off. First went Wings of Redemption, those great rainbow-hued arches. Then Wings of Purification, white and iridescent as frosted cobwebs. Wings of the Wind, like honey-colored thistledown. Wings of Remembrance, soft violet and midnight blue. And then Wings of Protection – emerald green and gold, the Wings that had saved her friends from Bloddeuwedd's frenzied attack on them the first time they had entered the Dark Dimensions. And, final y, Wings of Destruction – high, ebony arches with edges as delicate as black lace. Elena tried to keep silent as each power was taken. But after the first one or two had fal en at her sides, in shadows that perhaps only she could see, she heard a smal gasp, and realized that it was her own voice. And with the next cut, an involuntary little cry. For a moment there was silence. And then suddenly there was overwhelming noise. Elena could hear Bonnie keening and Sage roaring, and Stefan, gentle Stefan, shouting blasphemies and curses at the Guardians. Elena guessed from the stifled sound of his voice that he was fighting them, fighting to get to her. He reached her, somehow, just as the deadly, delicate Wings of Destruction were sheared from her shoulders and mind, and fel like tal shadows to the ground. It was good that he did reach her then, because at last, when Elena was the least dangerous she had been since the Powers of Wings had begun awakening in her, suddenly the Guardians seemed afraid. They stepped back from her, these strong and dangerous women, and only Stefan was there to catch her and hold her in his arms. Stunned, dazed, she was an eighteen-year-old girl who was ordinary. Except for her blood. They wanted to rob her of her blood as well†¦to â€Å"purify†it. The three rulers and their attendants had already gathered in a determined, multihued triangle around her and were working their magic when Sage bel owed, â€Å"Stop!† Elena, drooping over Stefan's shoulder, could see him vaguely, his velvety black wings Stillspread from wal to wal , Stilltouching the golden ceiling. Bonnie clung to him like a bit of stray dandelion fluff. â€Å"You have already diminished her aura to almost nothing,†he growled. â€Å"If you ‘purify'the blood of this pauvre petite completely, she wil die – and then she wil awaken. You wil have created un vampire, Mesdames. Is that what you wish?† Susurre reeled back. For the ruler of such a harsh and unyielding realm, she seemed almost too gentle – but not too soft to shear off my Wings, Elena thought, wriggling her shoulders to ease them. Maybe she didn't know how much it would hurt, another part of her mind offered vaguely. Then al her mind came together in an emergency meeting. Something warm and cooling was sliding down the back of her neck, in tiny droplets. Not blood. No, this was infinitely more precious than what the Guardians had taken away. Stefan's tears. She rocked hard, trying to take her own weight on her feet. Somehow, shakily, she managed it. She only realized just how shaky she was when she tried to lift a hand and wipe the tears off Stefan's cheeks with her thumb. Her whole hand wobbled as if she were making a childish joke. Her thumb struck his cheek with enough force to make anyone else wince. She looked at him with dumb apology, too shocked to try to speak. Stefan was speaking. Over and over. â€Å"It doesn't matter,†he was saying. â€Å"It's All right, love. Oh, lovely love, it wil be All right.†He wiped her eyes with a hand that was rock steady, and al the time he was looking only at her, and – she knew – thinking only of her. She knew that because she also knew the moment when it changed. Red hair was in her line of sight, blurred through new tears. Red hair and narrow green eyes, too close to her. That was when Elena felt Stefan remember that there was anything other than Elena in the world. His face changed. He didn't snarl or stick out his chin. The change was an entire alteration, but it centered around his eyes, which became deadly hard while everything else became sharp and fierce. â€Å"If you touch her again, you vicious bitch, I wil rip out your throat,†Stefan said, and each word was like a chip of ice-cold iron dropped onto the floor. Elena's tears stopped with the shock of it. Stefan didn't talk that way to women. Even Damon didn't – hadn't. But the words were Stillechoing in the sudden silence of the cathedral-like room. People were backing away. Idola was backing away too, but her lip was curled. â€Å"Do you think that because we are Guardians that we cannot harm you – ?†she was beginning, when Stefan's voice cut through hers cleanly. â€Å"I think that because you are ‘Guardians'you can kil sanctimoniously and get away with it,†Stefan said, and his lip made a far more compel ing – and frightening – line of scorn than Idola's had. â€Å"You would have kil ed Elena if Sage hadn't stopped you. Damn you,†he added softly, but with such utter conviction that Idola took another step backward. â€Å"Yes, you'd better ral y al your little friends around,†he added. â€Å"I might just decide to kil you anyway. I kil ed my own brother, as I'm sure you realize.† â€Å"But surely – that was only after taking a mortal blow yourself.†Susurre was between the two of them, trying to intercede. Stefan shrugged. He looked at her with the same contempt as he had the other ruler. â€Å"I Stillhad the use of my arm,†he said deliberately. â€Å"I could have decided to drop my sword, or to merely wound him. Instead I chose to put a blade straight through his heart.†He showed his teeth in a distinctly unfriendly smile. â€Å"And now I don't even need a weapon.† â€Å"Stefan,†Elena managed at last to whisper. â€Å"I know. She's weaker than I am and you don't want to see me kil her. That's why she's Stillalive, love. It's the only reason.†As Elena lifted half-frightened eyes to him, Stefan added in a voice only she could hear, Of course, there are some things about me you don't know, Elena. Things I'd hoped you'd never have to see. Knowing you – loving you – made me almost forget about them. Stefan's voice in her head woke something inside Elena. She lifted her head and looked at the blurry mass of Guardians around them. She saw strawberry-blond curls suspended in midair. Bonnie. Bonnie fighting. Doing it weakly, but only because a pair of the fair Guardians and another pair of dark ones were holding her in the air, one to each limb. As Elena stared at her she seemed to regain energy and fought harder. And Elena could hear†¦ something. It was faint and far away, but it almost sounded like†¦her name. Like her name spoken by whispering branches or the whirring of passing bicycle wheels. lay†¦nah†¦eee†¦lay†¦ Elena reached inwardly for the sound. She tried desperately to grasp whatever came after, but nothing happened. She tried a trick she would have found easy yesterday – channeling Power to the center of her telepathy. It didn't work. She tried her telepathy. Bonnie! Can you hear me? There wasn't even the slightest change in the smal er girl's expression. Elena had lost her link to Bonnie. She watched as Bonnie realized the same thing, watched the fight go out of the smal body. Bonnie's face, upturned in blank despair, was indescribably sad, and somehow indescribably pure and beautiful, al at once. That will never happen to us, Stefan's voice in her mind told her fiercely. Never! I give you my – No! Elena thought back, superstitiously terrified of a jinx. If Stefan swore, something might happen – she might have to become a vampire or a spirit – to ensure that he didn't break his word. He stopped, and Elena knew that he had heard her. And somehow this knowledge, that Stefan had heard a single word from her, Stilled her. She knew he wasn't spying. He'd heard because she'd sent the thought to him. She wasn't alone. She might be ordinary again; they might have taken her wings and most of the Power of her blood, but she wasn't alone. She leaned toward him, her forehead against Stefan's chin. â€Å"No one is alone.† She'd told Damon that. Damon Salvatore, a being who no longer existed. But who Stillcal ed forth from her one more word, one final cry. His name. Damon! He'd died four dimensions away. But she could feel Stefan backing her, amplifying her transmission, sending it like one last beacon through the multitude of worlds that separated them from his cold and lifeless body. Damon! There wasn't the slightest glimmer of an answer. Of course not. Elena was making a fool of herself. Suddenly something stronger than grief, stronger than self-pity, even stronger than guilt, took hold of her. Damon wouldn't have wanted her to be carried out of this hal – even by Stefan. Especial y by Stefan. He would have wanted her to show no sign of weakness to these women who'd shorn her and humiliated her. Yes. That was Stefan. Her love, but not her lover, wil ing to love her chastely from now until the end of her days†¦. The end†¦of her days? Elena was suddenly glad that she couldn't project to strangers telepathical y and that Stefan had set shields around them when he'd taken her into his arms. She turned to Ryannen, who was watching†¦warily, but Stillwith business in her eyes. â€Å"I'd like to go now, if you don't mind,†she said, picking up her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder with a gesture as arrogant as she could make it. There was a bolt of agony as the weight of the strap hit the place from which most of her wings had sprung, but she kept her face contemptuous and indifferent. Bonnie, back on the ground since she wasn't fighting any longer, fol owed Elena's lead. Stefan had left his backpack in the Gatehouse, but he gently cupped a hand around Elena's elbow, not guiding her, but showing that he was there for her. Sage's wings folded back into themselves and were gone. â€Å"You understand that for the return of these treasures which are ours by right – but which we were barred from retrieving – you wil be granted your requests with the exception of the imposs – â€Å" â€Å"I understand,†Elena said flatly, just as Stefan said, much more brusquely, â€Å"She understands. Just do it, wil you?† â€Å"It is already being organized.†Ryannen's eyes, dark blue splashed with gold, met Elena's with a look not entirely unsympathetic. â€Å"The best thing,†Sussure added hastily, â€Å"would be for us to put you to sleep and send you to your – your old, new dwellings. By the time you awaken, al wil have been accomplished.† Elena forced her face not to change. â€Å"Send me to Maple Street?†she asked, looking at Ryannen. â€Å"Aunt Judith's house?† â€Å"In your sleep, yes.† â€Å"I don't want to be asleep.†Elena moved even closer to Stefan. â€Å"Don't let them put me to sleep!† â€Å"No one's going to do anything to you that you don't want,†Stefan said, and his voice was like the edge of a razor. Sage rumbled his support, and Bonnie stared at the fair woman hard. Ryannen bowed her head. Elena woke up. It was dark, and she'd been asleep. She couldn't remember exactly how she'd fal en asleep, but she knew she wasn't on the palanquin, and she knew she wasn't in a sleeping bag. Stefan? Bonnie? Damon? she thought automatical y, but there was something odd about her telepathy. It felt almost as if it were confined to her own head. Was she in Stefan's room? It must be pitch-black outside, since she couldn't even see the outline of the trapdoor that led to the widow's walk. â€Å"Stefan?†she whispered, while various bits of information pooled in her mind. There was a smel , at once familiar and unfamiliar. She was lying on a comfortable double bed, not one of Lady Ulma's silken-and-velvet extravaganzas, but not any lumpy featherbed from the boardinghouse, either. Was she in a hotel? As these various thoughts came together in her brain, there was a soft quick rapping. Knuckles on glass. Elena's body took over. She tossed off the bedspread and ran to the window, mysteriously avoiding obstacles without thinking about them at all. Her hands wrenched aside curtains that she somehow knew were there and her skyrocketing heart brought a name to her lips. â€Å"Da – !† And then the world stopped and did its slowest somersault of al . The sight of a face, fierce and concerned and loving and yet strangely frustrated, just on the other side of the second-story window, brought Elena's memories back. Al of them. Fel ‘s Church was saved. And Damon was dead. Her head bent slowly until her forehead touched the cool pane of glass.

Philosophy of Ernest Nagel from a First Person Essay

One burning and enduring problem in philosophy to which we have given considerable examination is the question of the existence of God–the superlative being that philosophers have defined and dealt with for centuries. After reading the classic arguments of St. Anselm and St. Thomas Aquinas, the contentious assertions of Ernest Nagel, and the compelling eyewitness accounts of Julian of Norwich, I have been introduced to some of the most revered and referenced arguments for and against God’s existence that have been put into text. All of them are well-thought and well-articulated arguments, but they have their holes. The question of God’s true existence, therefore, is still not definitively answered and put to rest; the intensity of this debate probably never will mitigate. Many theologians and academics honestly admit that no matter what any philosopher may assert regarding this topic, whether or not a certain person believes in God’s existence is a questio n of faith and nothing more. I am naturally inclined, then, even after reading the heavyweight philosophers of religion, to ponder this pressing issue. After all, what one person may gather out of serious consideration of this problem could totally alter his or her life. Even though I have been raised in the Episcopal Christian faith and have attended church regularly, I have never really taken the time to scrutinize the very existence of a being I have been worshipping for my whole childhood. Reading the famed selections in this course has alerted my attention to the topic, and this major philosophical problem continues to eschew my understanding. One would think that, because I have been raised a Christian and have been exposed to the doctrine and theory of Christianity, I would quickly lean toward the arguments for God and be more easily persuaded by them, hoping to find a defense for spending nearly every Sunday morning in the chancel at church. Actually, I am not automatically persuaded toward the theist position thanks to an atheist argument; the philosopher whom we have examined this semester who complicates this issue for me is Ernest Nagel, an atheist professor who wrote an outstanding defense of atheism. I found that his defense made atheism appear a much more attractive way to think than any theistic religion. I was not impressed, though, with his contentions against  the Ontological Argument of St. Anselm, and thus I refrain for now from venturing to the atheist way. Because of Nagel, I now have ambivalence towards believing in God, even though reading his work did not change my broader belief. One object of heated debate between convinced believers in God and convinced atheists is the Problem of Pain or Theodicy Problem, which asks how evil and suffering can exist in the world if an all-powerful and all-good God is overseeing what happens in his world. There are a few arguments that theists have constructed defending God’s existence in spite of this obvious conflict between doctrine and reality. Some of them, even though they have become classic arguments, are ridiculous; for example, Nagel confronts the argument stating that â€Å"the things called evil are evil only because they are viewed in isolation; they are not evil when viewed in proper perspective and in relation to the rest of creation† (605). This argument can be easily destroyed by a man of reason, and Nagel does so mainly by holding that â€Å"it is irrelevant to argue that were we something other than what we are, our evaluations of what is good and bad would be different† (606). Calling the argument â€Å"unsupported speculation,† (606) Nagel easily downturns this faulty response to the Theodicy Problem. What I found most admirable about this section of Nagel’s â€Å"Philosophical Concepts of Atheism† was his own solution to the problem–simply that it cannot be resolved: â€Å"I do not believe it is possible to reconcile the alleged omnipotence and omnibenevolence of God with the unvarnished facts of human existence† (606). Since Nagel has demonstrated that the Theodicy Problem cannot be taken down, it remains a solid argument for atheists and a very good disproof of the existence of an all-good, all-powerful God. I have not seen a response to this problem so effectively stated, honest, and convincing. Nagel’s arguments concerning the Theodicy Problem show that atheists think in a much more straightforward and practical fashion than do theists. The way Nagel uses the words â€Å"unvarnished facts of human existence† (606) leads to another attractive element to atheism and to his work–Nagel appeals to the earthly life, and only the earthly life, in describing how atheists think. Instead of reaching out to another world or deity that does  not even certainly exist, atheists â€Å"often take as their ideal the intellectual methods employed in the contemporaneous empirical sciences† (607). Because atheists use empirical evidence obtained through science, i.e. use evidence that certainly exists and can be sensed, all of the thinking they do is based solely on what clearly and distinctly exists in reality. To atheists, says Nagel, â€Å"controlled sensory observation is the court of final appeal in issues concerning matters of fact† (608). Not all of theist thinking is based on something that is proved to exist, since God has not been absolutely proved to be, so the essential base of the theist thoug ht is composed of supposition and theory. Atheists simply ground their logic in what is certainly known, and no assumptions found their reasoning. Even in matters of human morals, atheists think practically: â€Å"The conceptions of the human good [atheists] have advocated are conceptions which are commensurate with the actual capacities of mortal men, so that it is the satisfaction of the complex needs of the human creature which is the final standard for evaluating the validity of a moral ideal or moral prescription† (608). Nagel also excellently applies practicality to atheism in the way he describes â€Å"the stress upon a good life that must be consummated in this world† (608). Nagel dismisses the need of â€Å"some unrealizable other-worldly ideal† (608) so well that atheism appears supremely attractive among all the other religious modes of thought. Since Nagel implements practicality so well and perpetuates the question of the Theodicy Problem in â€Å"Philosophical Concepts of Atheism,† I found not only Nagel’s text, but also the atheist way very reasonable (literally) and intellectually striking. While Nagel superbly makes atheism appear much more attractive as a way of thinking than a theist religion because of its practicality and direct method of reason, I do not think he deals with St. Anselm’s argument for God’s existence well enough. Nagel refutes Anselm’s Ontological Argument by saying, â€Å"the word ‘existence’ does not signify any attribute† (601). I starkly disagree with this position. I think, as does Renà © Descartes, that existence in reality is a descriptor. When we, for example, reflect upon the life of one who has died, we experience that person as he or she exists in our understanding and in our imagination by remembering him or her; although  this individual is no longer existing in reality, he or she still exists, but on another plane of being. I am aware that this is, indeed, a highly debatable topic, but I am quite convinced that existence is an attribute, and thus I find that Anselm’s assertions withsta nd Nagel’s assaults. Even though the fact that atheists are practical, down-to-earth thinkers attracts me, I am still not convinced that God does not exist. For the time being, then, I will retain my theistic beliefs and remain a churchgoer, even though I now have ambivalence toward theism. I am not convinced that God does not exist because of some other reflections, shared especially by many within the scientific community. My current beliefs regarding God’s existence, those that I find more convincing than even the Ontological Argument, follow an deductive chain of reasoning; the argument I support most is the near impossibility that everything in creation came about by accident. The chances for molecules and cells, the very building blocks of the incredibly intricate natural creation, to come together entirely by themselves are so extremely slim that it is hard to believe that the world and all that lives in it are products of chance. The fact that the planet Earth is in exactly the right spot in space to support life, the fact that there are just the right amounts of chemicals and substances to sustain biological life on Earth, and the fact that there is only one species with the intellectual firepower to overcome physical inferiorities and become the ruling class of organisms on the planet all contribute to the suspicion that there may be a certain genius that planned out this harmonious structure of life. This is a tough argument for atheists to refute, but then again, it still could have been chance–it still could have been that one in a billion trillion times that happened. With that in mind, a great secondary argument is Anselm’s Ontological Argument, a piece of reasoning I think both Nagel and Gaunilo fail to overcome. If it ever is overcome, I may begin to take steps across the bridge to the atheist way. Work Cited: Cahn, Steven M., Patricia Kutcher, George Sher, and Peter J. Markie, eds. Reason at Work: Introductory Readings in Philosophy. 3rd Ed. Florence, KY: Thomson Learning, Inc., 1996.

Hearst essays

Hearst essays William Randolph Hearst and Citizen Kane Citizen Kane has often been considered one the best film ever made. This film is about a conflict between two twentieth century icons, the publisher William Randolph Hearst and the prodigy of his time, Orson Welles. This movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards, but is booted off the stage with only one award, for Best Screenplay. This was due to the great pressure from one of the most powerful men in the nation, the man that Citizen Kane portrayed as a corrupt power hungry man, William Randolph Hearst. There is no way that one cannot ignore the striking similarities between Hearst and Kane. Orson Welles included a few details about the young Kanes life that, anyone with some knowledge of Hearst life, would set anyone thinking about the newspaper giants life. Shortly after the film begins, a reporter is seen trying to discover the meaning of Kanes last words rosebud. This reporter begins his search by going through the records of Kanes guardian Thatcher. The scene then begins to come to life in the midwinter that takes place at the Kanes house. Kanes mother has come into one of the richest gold mines in the world, and at age twenty-five, Kane will inherit this sixty million dollar fortune. His mother becomes doubtful of the education system in Colorado; therefore she decides to send her son to study with Thatcher. Hearsts parents came by their money through gold mines, so both Kane and Hearst were raised with golden spoon in their mouths. Kane is devoted to his mother as Hearst was likewise to that. Both men pay heed to their mothers wishes while their fathers seem to be less powerful and were not as influential as their mothers. Kanes dying word, the name of his childhood sled Rosebud, is a town twenty miles east of where the Hearsts parents grew up. Everything from the newsreel at the start ...

Ancient Roman Calendar Terminology

Ancient Roman Calendar Terminology The Ides Can Be on the 15th You may know that the Ides of March the day on which Julius Caesar was assassinated was the 15th of March, but that doesnt mean the Ides of a month was necessarily on the 15th. The Roman calendar was originally based on the first three phases of the moon, with days counted, not according to a concept of a week, but backward from lunar phases. The new moon was the day of the Kalends, the moons first quarter was the day of the Nones, and the Ides fell on the day of the full moon. The Kalends section of the month was the longest, since it spanned two lunar phases, from the full to the new moon. To see it another way: Kalends New Moon (no moon to be seen)Nones 1st quarter moonIdes Full Moon (whole moon visible in the night sky) When the Romans fixed the length of the months, they also fixed the date of the Ides. In March, May, July, and October, which were (most of them) months with 31 days, the Ides was on the 15th. On other months, it was the 13th. The number of days in the Ides period, from the Nones to the Ides, remained the same, eight days, while the Nones period, from the Kalends to the Nones, might have four or six and the Kalends period, from the Ides to the start of the next month, had from 16-19 days. The days from the Kalends to the Nones of March would have been written: Kal.ante diem VI Non. Mart.ante diem V Non. Mart.ante diem IV Non. Mart.ante diem III Non. Mart.pr. Non. Mart.Nonae The days from the Nones to the Ides of March would have been written: ante diem VIII Id. Mart.ante diem VII Id. Mart.ante diem VI Id. Mart.ante diem V Id. Mart.ante diem IV Id. Mart.ante diem III Id. Mart.pr. Id. Mart.Idus The day before the Nones, Ides or Kalends was called Pridie. Kalends (Kal) fell on the first day of the month. Nones (Non) was the 7th of 31 day months March, May, July, and October, and the 5th of other months. Ides (Id) fell on the 15th of 31 day months March, May, July, and October, and on the 13th of other months. Calendars | Roman Calendars Ides, Nones on the Julian Calendar Month Latin name Kalends Nones Ides January Ianuarius 1 5 13 February Februarius 1 5 13 March Martius 1 7 15 April Aprilis 1 5 13 May Maius 1 7 15 June Iunius 1 5 13 July Iulius 1 7 15 August Augustus 1 5 13 September September 1 5 13 October October 1 7 15 November November 1 5 13 December December 1 5 13 If you find this view confusing, try Julian Dates, which is another table showing the dates of the Julian calendar, but in a different format.

Complete Official SAT Practice Tests, Free Links

Complete Official SAT Practice Tests, Free Links SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Official SAT tests released by the College Board are the absolute gold standard for SAT practice questions. Each official practice test contains real questions given to actual students at previous administrations of the SAT. In this article, I'll show you where to find all official SAT practice tests online. This comprehensive guide gives you access to more practice tests than any other guide out there. Most of these tests are free and great practice to get started with your SAT prep. We'll also discuss how to use these practice tests to help you get the most improvement possible out of them. A Quick Intro to SAT Practice Tests I've divided the sources of SAT practice tests into a few categories based on what version of the SAT the tests follow. There are three basic versions: SAT (2016 to present, out of 1600) Old SAT (pre-2016, out of 2400) Very old SAT (pre-2005, out of 1600) // All free tests are released publicly by the College Boardand made available for download without copyright concerns. Tests based on the current SAT are by far the best to use for SAT practice since they're exactly like the SAT. While you can still use old SAT practice tests, it's important to be aware of out-of-date question types, scoring systems, and sections. All Free SAT Practice Tests (2016 and Later, Out of 1600) These are the ONLY 10 official practice tests for the redesigned SAT, provided by the College Boarditself. These will be the absolute best tests to use when studying for the SAT. Practice Test 1:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 2:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 3:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay // Practice Test 4:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 5:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay Practice Test 6:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay Practice Test 7:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay Practice Test 8:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 9: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 10: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Free SAT Practice Tests, Old Format (Pre-2016, Out of 2400) // These tests follow the old 2400-point format of the SAT, with separate Reading, Math, and Writing sections. This test had its last administration in January 2016. Even for the current SAT, these tests are useful for your studying. However, be sure to note the major changes between the old and current SAT. Here's how you should be using these older practice tests: Know that the structure and timing are different. The SAT now has only four sections and doesn't skip around subjects like the old SAT did. Reading on the SAT is very similar to how it was on the old SAT. In these old SAT practice tests, Reading passages and questions are all useful to practice with. // Writing on the SAT tests similar grammar skills- but they're tested in a different passage-based format. You can use these old SAT tests to practice key SAT grammar rules, but know that you won't be seeing any questions based on isolated sentences anymore. Math on the SAT is similar in format, but it now emphasizes algebra and de-emphasizes geometry. Go ahead and use these old tests for math practice, but be sure to focus more on the skills that the current SAT tests. Official SAT Practice Test 2013-14: Questions | Answers Official SAT Practice Test 2012-13: Questions | Answers Official SAT Practice Test 2007-08: Questions | Answers Official SAT Practice Test 2004-05: Questions | Answers All of the other years are repeats of these tests, including 20-12, 2010-, 2009-10, 2008-09, 2006-07, and 2005-06. You might find these on other forums or websites. Don't waste time taking these tests, as they're the same tests as the four above. // Free SAT Practice Tests, Very Old Format (Pre-2005, Out of 1600) Before the redesigned SAT in 2016, the last time the SAT changed was in 2005. This was back when I took it and earned a perfect SAT score. The following links are a hidden gold mine of old tests that few students know about, so by taking these tests, you'll have that much more of an edge over current students. However, there are important caveats to know before taking these tests: Skip the analogy questions on Reading sections. These are the questions that look like "CAR : ENGINE ::." You won't see this question type on the SAT now, so don't spend any time on it. That said, the passage questions are all still very useful. // Skip the comparison questions on Math sections. These are the ones that show two boxes and ask you to choose whether A or B is greater. Since this question type isn't on the SAT anymore, there's no use practicing it. There are no Writing sections on these tests. As a result, you won't get the grammar and English practice you need to do well on the SAT's Writing and Language section. Be grateful you didn't need to do some of these old-format questions- analogies were the main reason that the SAT got a bad rap for forcing students to memorize vocab! Official SAT Test 2004-05: Questions|Answers Official SAT Test 2003-04: Questions|Answers Official SAT Test 2002: Questions + Answers // Official SAT Test 2001: Questions + Answers Disappointed with your SAT scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: 3 Additional Resources for Official SAT Practice We've given you all official SAT practice tests above, but is there anything else you can use for quality SAT practice? Each of the following resources contains more official, quality SAT practice. #1:Official SAT Website Sample Questions // On top of full-length practice tests, the College Board website offers a decent number of sample SAT questions for the Reading, Writing, Math, and Essay sections. While some of these questions appear on official practice tests, not all do. Thus, I highly recommend using this resource for extra SAT practice. In total, you'll get the following number of questions for each section: Reading: 24 questions (with two reading passages) Writing: 22 questions (with two reading passages) Math: 30 calculator-permitted questions, 18 no-calculator questions Essay: Two prompts (with 16 sample essays) #2: Khan Academy Online SAT Practice Price: Free! // The College Board has partnered with Khan Academy to offer free and official online SAT prep to test takers. Although the website doesn't offer a comprehensive prep program or any new practice tests (all of the tests here are those on the College Board website), it does offer a lot of extra, high-quality SAT practice questions not available elsewhere. Khan Academy's best feature is its tutorial videos, which teach you step by step how to solve and approach specific SAT question types, from Math questions dealing with linear functions to Writing questions focused on parallel structure. #3: The Official SAT Study Guide, Second Edition Price:Varies depending on quality ($1-$20) This official SAT prep book contains 10 old-format SAT practice tests not available online, and is helpful if you're looking for a massive source of practice material. That being said, remember that the format used here differs considerably from the current version of the SAT. Therefore, I recommend using these practice questions in isolation instead of taking the tests in full. As you go through the book, pinpoint the questions most like those on the current SAT, and then drill them for extra practice. // How to Use Official SAT Tests Effectively: 5 Key Tips There's an art to using official SAT tests effectively and getting the biggest improvement from your time investment. Here are five critical strategies to keep in mind when taking the tests: #1: Use Strict Timing on Each Section Most students have issues with time pressure on the SAT. Adding just two minutes to a section's time limit can change your score by as many as hundreds of points. So don't deceive yourself about your abilities; the point of practice tests is to identify your weaknesses. Here are the official time limits for each section as well as how much time you should (approximately) spend per question: SAT Section Time # of Questions Time per Question Reading 65 minutes 52 75 seconds Writing and Language 35 minutes 44 48 seconds Math No Calculator 25 minutes 20 75 seconds Math Calculator 55 minutes 38 87 seconds // #2: Take the Test in One Sitting The SAT is a marathon, lasting four hours on a Saturday morning. I've heard from hundreds of students how difficult it is to stay focused and avoid careless mistakes at the end of the test. Just like training for a marathon, you have to make sure you have enough endurance for the SAT- which is why it's so important to take each SAT practice test in one sitting. If there's no possible way for you to take a practice test in one go, it's OK to split it up over a few days. Ideally, you'll split up the test in such a way that you're not stopping and starting midway through any sections. In the end, it's better to do some practice than none at all. Just make sure to time yourself on each section. #3: Review Your Answers // The point of taking practice tests isn't to just do a lot of questions- it's also to learn from your mistakes. For every test, spend time reviewing the mistakes you made as well as every question you got right. If you don't know why you missed a question, don't just gloss over it! Doing this keeps you from being able to identify and attack your weaknesses. As a result, you'll end up making the same mistakes over and over again, ultimately hampering your score. In short, prize study quality over quantity. I'd rather you take three practice tests with detailed review than six practice tests with no review. #4: Take at Least 4 Practice Tests Before Test Day // I've found from experience with thousands of students that this number of tests gets you really comfortable with the SAT in all respects- timing, endurance, stress, etc. You can definitely take more tests if you want, but make sure to balance this with focused prep on your weaknesses so that you can ultimately make faster progress. #5: No Score Improvement? Find Extra Prep Support Some students can learn perfectly by themselves with practice tests- they'll see a mistake they made and instantly realize why they made that mistake and avoid it in the future. Most students, however, need additional help to pinpoint their weaknesses and teach them the key skills and strategies for doing well on the SAT. Good options for extra support include tutors, prep programs, and classes. To do well on the SAT, you'll need to determine what kind of support works best for your particular learning style (as well as your budget). Our free guide can help you figure out what kind of support is right for you. // What's Next? Want to get a super high SAT score? I scored a perfect SAT score, and I teach you what it takes to get a perfect score yourself. Here are the best study guides for SAT Reading, SAT Writing, and SAT Math, available anywhere. I guarantee you that these guides will improve your score! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: //

PSYC 320 DB1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

PSYC 320 DB1 - Essay Example The same case applies to having enough knowledge as well as helping the needy. Simply, Saint Paul is implying that the actions humans do are not adequate without love. He further implies that, if the human actions are on the basis of love, their efforts of benefiting the environment are rewarded better as compared to when they lack love (1 Corinthians 13). God wants the humans to impact on the environment by solving various problems in the society with love. He further wants the humans to help one another from their deep hearts and not as a showoff. Moreover, god wants individuals in the society to utilize their talents appropriately in order to receive a better reward (Carter, 2013). There are various situations where the human faith influences their behavior such: participating in social activities like paying taxes, giving to the poor as well as utilizing their knowledge to educate the society on various issues affecting them (1 Corinthians

(not specified) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

(not specified) - Essay Example He obviously suffers from intellectual pretensions and a false sense of superiority, considering himself to be â€Å"a unique figure† (Joyce, 5) among ordinary people. His delusions of adventurism and revolutionary socialism are belied by the dreary routine of his life. Except for the saving grace of his feeling for music, nothing relieves the emptiness of his days – he even â€Å"reads his evening paper for dessert†! (Joyce 6). The uncarpeted rooms and blank walls of his house, the gloomy landscape from his window, and the abandoned distillery all highlight the emptiness of his life. One of the most ‘painful’ characteristics of Mr. Duffy’s personality is obviously his attempt to insulate himself from emotion by avoiding any personal contact with people. He lives â€Å"as far as possible from the city of which he was a citizen,† (Joyce, 3). Joyce’s statement that â€Å"He had neither companions nor friends, church nor creed† (p.4), is indisputable proof of the barrenness of Mr. Duffy’s emotional life. He lets nothing, not even the death of his father, disrupt the tedious tenor of his routine. One cannot but suspect that his criticism of â€Å"an obtuse middle class, (Joyce, 5) is only an excuse to justify his inaction on all fronts and limit his contact with people. Mr. Duffy’s relationship with Emily Sinico gives him the opportunity to break out of his emotional cocoon. He is willing to share his pseudo-intellectual life with her, and basks in her admiration of his mental pretensions. However, it is beyond his nature to open himself up to her offer of love. He fears to allow the emotionalizing of his mental life proceed to the logical conclusion of the sharing of physical love. He refuses to move from the sterile pseudo-intellectual plane to the passionate level of emotion. His selfishness permits him to use Emily only in the role he has assigned to her- that of â€Å"his

Adult Learner Interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Adult Learner Interview - Assignment Example She feels that her formal education has come to an end, but her love of life and learning will always encourage her to be learning something. A. Well, there was a festival on my block a few months ago in the summer. Many potters were there from all over the country. I was amazed at the variety of artistic pieces that could be made using clay. Some of the most impressive works were not even pots. They were collections of tiles that had been glazed an interesting variety of colors and mounted on a wall. I just thought this was beautiful, so I decided to try it. A. There is local pottery guild in my neighborhood. The guild was established 80 years ago and is staffed by master potters. They offer classes every Tuesday and Thursday evening on a variety of pottery techniques. I have the time right now so I take two classes a week and go at least two other evening to work on projects. A. Wow. There are so many differences. First of all, I am in this class because I want to be there. I never liked elementary school because there were so many bullies and kids that were smarter than me. Here, I get to learn a new skill that I find useful. I am learning by choice, not because someone is making me. I like the fact that learning in a class like this gives me the freedom to experiment as well. That is something I was never able to do when I was younger and in school. Everything was so controlled. I even had a hard time sitting still in courses I took for my MBA four years ago. I like to learn in a way that lets me think and grow outside the box. A. I work in IT all day and the last thing I want to do is to do that more in the evening. I work in a cubicle at work with a bunch of other people that work in cubicles. When my workday is over, I am ready to learn and live outside my cubicle. I do not know what it is, but learning how to use my hands fulfills a very

Strategic Marketing of Qatar Airways Assignment

Strategic Marketing of Qatar Airways - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that strategic marketing orientation is an integral part of the modern-day business. Modern day business is ever-changing. It is very important for each and every organization to change their structure according to the time. The modern business is full of cutthroat competitions; managing competition is the need of the hour for the management across the world. Customers are the focus and understating customers continuously is a complex but important task. The performance of the company has significant dependency on inter-functional co-ordination. Organizational culture with their values and visionary thoughts also play significant roles in the marketing orientation. Shareholders are the pillars of organizational successes, it is important for every company to take care of the long-term interests of shareholders. With the help of this study Managing director of Qatar, airways will be able to get some insights of marketing orientation on the bas is of the above-written factors. The organization has 131 fleet sizes and the company covers 144 destinations across the world. According to Donavan, Brown, Mowen, customer orientation is all about a group of actions taken by the companies to identify and meet the needs of the customers. The authors said that previously organizations were more products centric but as the business scenario has changed nowadays organizations are transforming themselves into more customer-centric. They also commented that performances of the organizations are highly dependent on the continuous understanding of changing needs of customers. In the modern world of business customer orientation is the core factor and fundamental aim of every organization is to remain focused towards customers. They argued that in modern-day business every company relies on pricing, innovation and brand image. They commented that apart from all these things organizations can gain high competitive advantages through offering quality services and by meeting the customer expectations.

Book and Movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Book and Movie - Essay Example Discussed below is the impact of hazardous waste on the environment, regulations of municipal and industrial waste, possible interventions to environmental degradation in relation to the movie and the novel. The world’s population is steadily increasing due to improved access to health care and technological advancements in the healthcare sector. These in turn reduced infant mortality and prolonged the estimated lifespan of both males and females. The rapidly increasing population generates large amounts of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. In the US, a 2012 study done by the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that the US population generated 251 million tons of municipal waste recycling only 34.5% (87 million tons). EPA’s estimates propel the US to the top of the list with regard to highest waste output per person. The high waste output automatically strains existing waste management measures instituted by both the federal and state governments. As a result, common to all states are landfills scattered all over each state containing heaps of non-biodegradable waste, which contributes to the rapid degradation of the environment. Worsen ing the situation, is the large amounts of industrial waste output from the vast number of industries operating in the US. In her novel, Paretsky (40) contrasts Chicago’s polluted industrial districts with the posh Coast. Apted’s depiction of the rolling mountains and scenic backdrop in the Native American reservation in South Dakota contrasted against the rusting automobiles and dilapidated houses mirrors Paretsky’s description. Due to the hazardous nature of industrial waste, the government’s way of managing industrial waste differs from the management of municipal waste. Legislative directives compel industries to find suitable methods of disposing their waste guaranteed not to pollute the environment. For example, unsanctioned dumping of

Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Report - Case Study Example New homes built on traditional practices cannot improve the general respiratory health of occupants. Further, well executed energy retrofits have led to improvement in self rated health and ensures that occupants have reduced visits to general health practitioners (Tassos, 6). Energy efficient devices are important to low income families because the income they save in using efficient energy sources can be used to by food, afford medical care and health insurance. Weatherization assistance programs are important in saving energy bills. In addition, they also ensure that there is a reduced water cost (Tassos, 7). Energy Efficiency and Renewable in Home Retrofits reduce the production of contaminants that can harm the health of occupants. Some of the contaminants that harm the health of occupants include carbon monoxide, mold and mist. Efficient energy home retrofits improve ventilation in rooms, reduce moisture and condensation, increase safety, improve thermal comfort and ensure that residents live in a comfortable environment (Tassos, 14). Conventional energy upgrades are dangerous to the occupants. Homes without measure put in place to ensure that there is adequate flow of air can affect the indoor air quality. The risk factors associated with poor quality indoor air include asthma, allergies and other respiratory complications. Efficient home energy retrofits reduce the water heater temperature to 120 degrees. This ensures that energy is saved and reduces the risk scalding (Tassos, 12). Saving on the energy use in homes requires the use of specific technology such as the properly designed and executed home energy retrofits. These home retrofits also ensure that green house gases are not emitted into the atmosphere. Investing in the use of efficient home energy retrofits will help in the implementation of healthy housing best practices in order to meet the objectives of energy

Book and Movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Book and Movie - Essay Example Discussed below is the impact of hazardous waste on the environment, regulations of municipal and industrial waste, possible interventions to environmental degradation in relation to the movie and the novel. The world’s population is steadily increasing due to improved access to health care and technological advancements in the healthcare sector. These in turn reduced infant mortality and prolonged the estimated lifespan of both males and females. The rapidly increasing population generates large amounts of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. In the US, a 2012 study done by the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that the US population generated 251 million tons of municipal waste recycling only 34.5% (87 million tons). EPA’s estimates propel the US to the top of the list with regard to highest waste output per person. The high waste output automatically strains existing waste management measures instituted by both the federal and state governments. As a result, common to all states are landfills scattered all over each state containing heaps of non-biodegradable waste, which contributes to the rapid degradation of the environment. Worsen ing the situation, is the large amounts of industrial waste output from the vast number of industries operating in the US. In her novel, Paretsky (40) contrasts Chicago’s polluted industrial districts with the posh Coast. Apted’s depiction of the rolling mountains and scenic backdrop in the Native American reservation in South Dakota contrasted against the rusting automobiles and dilapidated houses mirrors Paretsky’s description. Due to the hazardous nature of industrial waste, the government’s way of managing industrial waste differs from the management of municipal waste. Legislative directives compel industries to find suitable methods of disposing their waste guaranteed not to pollute the environment. For example, unsanctioned dumping of

Executive Compensation - How much is too Much Research Paper

Executive Compensation - How much is too Much - Research Paper Example The debate about high executive compensation has been in the spotlight in United States since industrial revolution. However, it was during the great depression that this news and discussion made the headlines. Since then, this debate has always received widespread during all economic recessions. Following the pattern, as the financial crunch and economic recession hit the United States in 2006-07, this debate again reached its peak because the masses started questioning the perceived wide gap between the salaries of an average employee and the executives. Critics of high compensation believe that this is one of prime reasons of increasing inefficiencies, recession, and increasing income inequality in United States. On the other hand, proponents of high compensation believe that these pay levels are a result of market and competitive forces and external forces such as the government, watchdogs and others should have no right to interfere in how much the boards of willing to pay their executives. The thesis statement around which this paper that revolve is that â€Å"executives pay is sky rocketing and there is no rational and logical thought to allow these pay levels to increase further if we want a way out of this recession and prevent future recessions† (Mishra, McConaughy & Gobeli, 2000). ... They compare the pay of CEOs with investment bankers, hedge fund managers, equity investors, lawyers, and others. Since 1990s, there has been steady increase in the salaries of above-mentioned professionals but the pays of CEOs and other executives has not risen with the same percentage. Furthermore, out of the top 0.1 percent people in the United States arranged according to the gross income, only 3 percent of them were CEOs and executives of companies. Furthermore, in the year 2007, â€Å"top 20 hedge fund manager bagged more than three times the pay earned by the salaries of all S&P 500 combined† (Hayes & Schaefer, 2009). Proponents of this school of thought strongly believe that companies will have to take bold steps in order to retain their executives because many smart CEOs have already started shifting to Wall Street to take positions at private equity firms (Hayes & Schaefer, 2009). In order to defend the position of CEOs being overpaid, other experts have gone on to a ccept that executives and specifically, CEOs are overpaid but it is not because of the work that they do but because their job is to inspire people. The reason behind providing CEOs with the fattest checks is to ensure that it keeps other people in the company motivated (Kay & Putten, 2007). Everyone dreams to become a CEO or an executive some day and people dream about the same because they know the compensation levels. People look at executives, their cars, houses, clubs, salaries, benefits, lifestyles and that is what keeps them motivated to stay with a company and put in their best effort into their jobs hoping that within a decade or so, they would also be able to reach that dream position. Economists call this, as

Reflective Paper on Management of Organizations Essay Example for Free

Reflective Paper on Management of Organizations Essay The concept of management especially that of managing organizations, is a broad field of study and usually requires understanding of the other branches of human learning such as sociology, psychology and economics, among others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In determining the most effective approach in management, it is important to learn the basics of dealing with persons, how to organize them, develop their skills while bonding them together and eventually generate positive outcome or production from their collective labor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being an experienced nurse and member of the US Armed Forces, I have learned through the years in reserve camps and in field that interpersonal relationship is not easily perfected considering man’s innate instinct of â€Å"self-survival. † In order for a man to survive in any given situation, condition and place, it is but natural for him to save and protect himself or his interests, oftentimes resulting to conflict with other persons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This human frailty is often than not the root of problems and conflict affecting the smooth flow of communication and cooperation within a certain group or organization. In addition to this, a person’s inability to understand the proper systems of learning within an organization and the natural course of changes brought by outside forces such as information technology, globalization and the likes usually result to negative output or disintegration of the organization itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, change, transformation and evolution is part of nature. Such reality also affects organizations and the society as a whole. The concept of the continuous transformation of the society and all of its institutions is best described by Donald Schon (1973): The loss of stable state means that our society and all of its institutions are in continuous processes of transformation. We cannot expect new stable states that will endure for our own lifetimes. We must learn to understand, guide, influence and managed these transformations. We must make the capacity for undertaking them integral to ourselves and to our institutions. We must, in other words, become adept at learning. We must become able not only to transform our institutions, in response to changing situations and requirements; we must invent and develop institutions which are ‘learning systems’, that is to say, systems capable of bringing about their own continuing transformation. (Schon 1973: 28)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Schon, as quoted by M.K. Smith (2001) in his article, â€Å"The Learning Organization† posted in the worldwide web infed.org, is indeed correct by saying that we must learn how to adapt to changes and transformation, make them as integral part of us and our institutions and likewise come up with new learning systems that could carry on the cycle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given this idea, I believe that by learning the proper systems in the field of management, one would not only be able to adapt to such transformations in the society and all its institutions or organizations, but also one could make a big difference in mobilizing people together, making them more competent, service-oriented, effective and productive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the same time, learning the proper systems can lessen, if not only its impact, the conflict caused by self-survival by individuals thereby resulting to an effective team that is highly competitive, competent and motivated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Part of the learning systems in an organization is the building of teams that would become the heart and machinery of the organization. In building teams, I have learned from several readings that it is important to determine the strength and weaknesses of each individual to assess their distinct capabilities that would match the requirement for specific responsibilities and work to be done.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In determining the weaknesses and strength of the team members, as well as the over-all status of the team, some analytical modules can be used such as the force field analysis and the SWOT analysis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To initiate the force field analysis, the team must start with a brainstorming session to identify the â€Å"driving† and â€Å"restraining† forces in their organization. The driving forces are the factors that promote obedience to the team’s work or schedule while the restraining forces are the factors that hinder adherence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By learning how to determine both, the team and its leader would be able to design strategies how to approach the problem and decrease the restraining forces to achieve maximum resolution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another effective way of identifying the internal and external strength, weaknesses and opportunities of the team is the SWOT analysis. In using the SWOT analysis, the team would not only be able to determine the causes of motivation or hindrances to their work or schedules, but also the opportunities and threats to the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   SWOT is more comprehensive and detailed and by identifying the internal strength and weaknesses and the external opportunities and threats, the team would be able to draw up critical solutions to its problems. In using systematic analysis in identifying problems, the team leader also develops a systematic thinking or approach in building a strong and effective team.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such forms of analysis are effective in most cases especially in military operations. As an active member of the US army, part of our daily activities is to maintain order in each team at the camp and effectively carry out orders from our superiors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By learning how to determine several forces that affect our operations, I am becoming more capable to handle orders and cooperate with my colleagues. At my age of 41, I am still open to possibilities that even an older woman like me could achieve more in the future. Through learning how to build teams and eventually become a very good leader, I am relearning the values of discipline, independence and competence that I could use once I finish my course in Human Resources. But building teams and knowing each team member’s capability is only part of the larger face of learning systems in learning organizations. The next step to an effective management is how to enhance and develop strategies that would improve the team. An effective team develops ways to share leadership roles and ways to share accountability for their work output. It also builds a specific team purpose and goals. There are several ways or strategies how to motivate teams to become stronger and more efficient.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to establishe objectives together. All team members must understand the objectives and what actions are needed to achieve them. Each member shall have a sense of responsibility and must have a sense of participation in achieving the collective goal of the team.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A good leader also knows how to encourage members to suggest ways how to improve their own services. The team must develop a participatory style. The feeling of belongingness and importance is one of the best ways to boost the team members’ morale. I often do this at home with my children. For 18 years as I reared them as single parent, I tried to teach them to speak and to participate in all house concerns. This made them independent and self-assured the same way a team member should feel – important.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most often than not, listening is the best way to learn. Leaders should know how to listen to their team members. They should also acknowledge their points of view and encourage a healthy venue for discussions and democratic debates. Healthy discussions are actually therapeutic to the group because the members will be able to speak their minds or the problems they encounter at work. This improves interpersonal relationships and lessens the conflict of self-interests and self-survival. By understanding each other’s problems or by listening to one another, a team member would learn to decrease his personal walls and start opening doors to other persons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is actually interesting for me. As I go through this course and the learning systems in management and organizational learning, I come to realize that managing teams or organization is not quite different from managing your own home. I could easily relate, not only because I encounter team concerns at work but also because I have experienced being aleder at my own house.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meanwhile, other strategies in can be introduced to maximize the effectiveness of a team. Defining specific roles and responsibilities also helps in organizing the team and keeping them focused. It is also important to explain rules and regulations, including time commitments. By knowing the rules and the rationale for such rules, team members will develop respect and trust to the organization. Commitment of time for team building and team work is also crucial in an organization’s growth. All members must have a sincere concern for the team and in doing so, they must be willing to extend time at work to do their responsibility to the group, if needed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the experts, an effective team has at least seven characteristics. These are as follows: team members share leadership roles; team develops own scope of work; team schedules work to be done and commits to taking time allotted to do work; team develops tangible work products; team shared accountability; performance is based on achieving team products; and open discussion and collective resolution of problems within the team.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Working long hours at the nurse’s station in camps and in hospitals, taking care of the sick and old, then has given me enough insight of the real meaning of team work. It is true that a hospital or a military infirmary is just like an organization. Each medical staff shall take part in all the responsibilities. Less time would also be spent if each nurse takes quality time to take care of the patients or station himself in a designated area. In my former line of work, there are also specific responsibilities and areas of accountability including pharmacy, supplies, maintenance, emergency, wards, among others. The same is true with the military. And mush is expected of us. At present, I am an E6 Supply Staff Sergeant. I work for a transportation reserve unit full time. I am part of a larger team. And it is my responsibility to take care of their supply needs. If I fail, the whole system fails. It is a chain. But if I do my work on time and with efficiency, I help my teammates and the order is protected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Simple things or simple tasks are oftentimes the key to an organization’s success. By doing the very basic things right, the team is assured of a holistic effectiveness and efficiency. As I begin to look back, it is getting clearer to me that the tricks of management, in any given field, are actually around us everyday. One only needs to be more observant and reflective to better understand the processes of learning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Part of the continuing learning process is also the methods of solving conflicts. Conflicts within organizations usually arise when there is contradiction between team members, who sometimes have varying views on specific concerns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When conflicts arise, experts tell us that it is important to introduce a constructive way how to resolve it. The first thing that one must take into consideration is to avoid jumping into conclusions. To avoid such mistake, it is crucial to identify the factors that have caused the conflict and determine the stakeholders involved in the conflict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Group discussion would help determine who are stakeholders in a certain conflict. By diplomatically opening a dialogue between the stakeholders, the leader would be able to recognize individual interests, as well a power issues affecting the conflict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The next step is to consider the alternatives in resolving the conflict. Each alternative must be carefully studied and from each, try to determine which is the most apt solution to the problem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the chosen solution is implemented, it is imperative to evaluate its effect to assess whether the results are satisfactory. If not, begin the process again and find other solution to the conflict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In every organization, change is also a constant factor. Organizations are often faced by difficulties within the structure when there is leadership or organizational change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Rosabeth Moss Kanter (1999, Chapter 5), it was proven over the years that things that sustain change are not â€Å"bold strokes but long marches – the independent, discretionary and ongoing efforts of people throughout the organization.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter (1999, Chapter 5) further says that:   â€Å"real change requires people to adjust to their behavior, and that behavior is often beyond the control of top management.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter teaches us that change is constantly created at many levels in an organization. Kanter says that there are big events that often occur due to outside forces while some changes are brought about by the people’s actions in their daily operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In confronting change, adept organizations share three key attributes. Kanter (1999, Chapter 5) specifies these as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   *The imagination to innovate. To encourage innovation, effective leaders help develop new concepts – the ideas, models, and applications of technology that set an organization apart. *The professionalism to perform. Leaders provide personal and organizational competence, supported by workforce training and development, to execute flawlessly and deliver value to ever more demanding customers. *The openness to collaborate. Leaders make connections with partners who can extend the organization’s reach, enhance its offerings, or energize its practices. (Kanter 1999, Chapter 5)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter cited three important words – concept, competence and connections. She claims that these intangible assets naturally build up with successful individuals and organizations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such intangible assets, she explains, reflect habits and not programs. These habits – personal skills, behavior and relationships – if deeply imbedded within the organization results to minimal resistance to change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If the organization has such assets, change would be so natural that leaders would find it easier to gear their team members to positively react to change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mastering change and transformation usually brought by outside forces such as technology, globalization, competition and politics as well is not an easy task. The organization should be intuitive, dynamic and innovative.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The organization must come up with its own innovations to adapt to its environment, guided by the skillful and pro-active leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter (1999) explains that the skillful leader must know how to lead with passion, conviction and confidence in others. There are other techniques or tips that could be adopted by an effective leader. The first is to keep abreast with the changing environment. A leader must be constantly observant, keen in learning and updated of what is new and what is latest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter’s concept of effective leadership teaches me and everyone else another basic characteristic of humans – our innate instinct to learn. Man’s curiosity and unending search for the â€Å"truth† or the â€Å"story behind things† is actually a trait that must be mastered by a leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I now find it imperative to double my efforts in honing my skills in preparation for my future as human resource personnel or manager. Doing routines at the military sometimes make you too comfortable with your environment that you forget to check what is happening around.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, I am beginning to realize that in order to be an effective and skillful leader, one must prepare and master the technique of listening, learning and tuning in to the environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another trait that a leader should master is to think outside the box. Kanter said it is okay to challenge the wisdom of the organization. It is alright to question the patternsn and come up with new solutions, looking into different angles or dimensions that sometimes lead to new approaches and innovative ideas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter (1999) gave several examples how to promote kaleidoscopic thinking. Team members can conduct activities outside the company or the organization itself. Interact, immerse with the community, break routines, rotate job assignments or even exchange projects. These are only few of the ways to generate fresh ideas and opportunities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Genuine conviction is also a positive trait that should be taught to team members. Kanter (1999) explains that one cannot sell change or anything else without any real conviction. In order for others to believe what you say or what you are trying to communicate, you must believe it first. Makes sense to me. In many situations that I was confronted by issues at the US Armed Forces, my children would sometimes ask about the real concerns and agenda of the US government. And in many cases, I try to answer them as honestly as I could. But now, it reminds me of my true feelings at that time. Kanter helps me reflect of my thoughts and thinking about it, I know that at times, I am not even sure whether my convictions were genuine enough to let my children believe what I say.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is one trait of a good leader I must master. To have genuine conviction so I could become an effective leader and be able to communicate vision and aspirations to my team members.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Change leaders† also needs the involvement of the team members who have the resources, the knowledge and the political influence to make things possible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter (1999) calls it coalition building. In early stages of planning, the leader must identify key players with appropriate capabilities. It is also important to find sources across or outside the organization to find influencers. According to Kanter, coalition building requires an understanding of the politics of change and its accompanying principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Once the coalition is in place, a leader must know how to coach and provide guidance to the team members while at the same time allowing them to enhance their individual contribution to the team.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kanter (1999) says leaders should allow team members to forge their own identity, build a sense of membership and become accustomed in implementing changes. The leader must resist giving too many responsibilities to the members because in order for their individual capabilities to grown, they must learn how to focus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another effective way to ensure the success of an organization and its resolution to change is the primary law of management – perseverance. I myself believe that in any aspect of our life, not only in management, learning how to persevere and develop a strong passion on what we do is a positive attitude.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perseverance gives a person more room to grow. As a 41-year-old woman, others may think that my career is almost over or that I may be experiencing the downsides of life. But I beg to disagree because I know that in pursuing my studies in human resources, I will have a better future ahead of me. My perseverance and willingness to adapt to changes and hone my skills in the process makes me a person with a vision and a drive to achieve more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Kanter (1999) explains, one must know how to overcome obstacles during the process of change. Perseverance helps a savvy leader to ensure the success of the process and prevent failure. If a leader launches something, he must not leave it to the team members. He should ensure that the process is done until the end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And after everything has been put into place, it is important to recognize each member’s contribution to the any accomplishment. Remembering to reward and recognize accomplishments is critical in any leadership, Kanter (1999) says.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Words of gratitude, recognition or appreciation are one of the most powerful tool in motivating members of any organization. In the US Armed Forces, promotions and awarding of medals of honor or valor are few of the motivational tools being used to boost the morale of US soldiers and to encourage them to fight for America. It is also a form of incentive to American soldiers for their sacrifices and the risks they face in the military, considering that the profession is a high risk one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Kanter, there is no limit to how much recognition a leader can provide to his team members. Making everyone a hero for a job well done often results to higher performance or bigger output in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In relation to change in an organization, Kanter (1999) says recognition motivates people to attempt change again especially if they are involved in the process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In closing, effective management of people or organization is actually the ability to lessen individualism and self-survival instincts, break communication barriers, limit conflicts, building teams and training them to adapt to change, and the ability to innovate in order to keep abreast with the constantly changing environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Effective management, though not easy to achieve, is actually a continuous learning process. One must have the concepts, the competence and the connections in order to become competitive, innovative and effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ashford University actually teaches us the same foundational values. The values of self-worth, creativity, independence, service, integrity and effectiveness. As for me, after studying this course and learning the proper systems in effective management, it is clear that the university’s core values such as creativity and effectiveness are truly important, not only to every individual but to interpersonal relationships and organizations as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ability to innovate and have the respect for the free flow of ideas are some of the key points in mastering the techniques of effective management. As discussed above, innovation and transformation are continuous processes in the growth of an organization and by learning the values of creativity and self-directedness, one is assured that he could face the ever-changing and demanding world outside.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, one’s independence, self-discipline and competence result to effectiveness, not only as an individual but also as integral part of a larger group or organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In any way, I believe that my aspirations in life are clearer and more achievable as I grasp a better understanding of the processes or organizational learning, as well as the values being taught at the Ashford university. This course is actually very interesting and liberating because it gives me a broader view of the society and its institutions. (End)       References: Smith, M.K. (2001) â€Å"The Learning Organization†, The Encyclopedia of Informal Education,   Ã‚   Retrieved May 3, 2006 from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-organization.htm Schon, D.A. (1973) Beyond the Stable State. Public and Private Learning in a Changing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Society, Harmondsworth: Penguin, 236 pages. Kanter, Rosabeth Moss (1999) â€Å"The Enduring Skills of Change Leaders (Chapter 5) †, On   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leading Change. Retrieved May 3 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://leadertoleader.org/leaderbooks/L2L/summer99/kanter.html Force Field Analysis. Retrieved May 3 from http://erc.msh.org/quality/pstools/psffanal.cfm SWOT Analysis. Retrieved May 3 from http://erc.msh.org/quality/examples/swot.cfm   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If such could be achieved by a person, then he is a candidate to become an effective leader. By trying to understand the academic theories and vast possibilities to which this course of study has offered me, I now come to the realization that there is room for much improvement to everyone, even to a 44-year-old nothing is impossible I am a person with simple values, who appreciates those around me. I consider nmyself as helper of people and have been a member of the nursing profession for years.